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Stage 7 - Gernsheim to Wiesbaden 63km (10-Jun-2019)

Woke up to an overcast day, yet quite warm as we discovered, when we got going around 9am. Streets were pretty deserted as today was a public holiday (Pfingsten). A late change of route today based on input from our really nice host resulting on us following Bike Route 6; EV15 towards Oppenheim to cross the Rhine instead of from Gernsheim as planned. As it turned, it was well worth it; firstly it hardly added any kms to our journey and secondly it was truly beautiful as advised.






Along the way, we stopped to chat to some local folks, a proud grandad on a bike route with his grandson; very happy to talk abut the groups of cyclists from all over Europe who repeatedly cycle through his village annually. 


And a couple taking their dogs for a walk who were very enthusiastic to talk about Australia and New Zealand. 


We also took the opportunity to take each others photos hoping to capture the quiet and still morning.



We finally reached Kornsand (east side of the Rhine) to catch the ferry to Nierstein (west side of Rhine); we were back on track with route on the Garmin created by my mate, Ellwood.



Heading north, mostly along the Rhine, we got to Mainz, where Ursi finally got her decaf coffee at the local Rowing Club restaurant. Heavenly. Took the opportunity to take this photo from where we were sitting of a marina along with a couple more as we rode further along the promenade. . 




Riding along the Mainz promenade, we came across a memorable exhibition called “Gegen das Vergessen”, translated “Against Forgetting”. It is a photographic exhibition from the German/Italian photographer/film-maker Luigi Toscano. He visited almost 300 survivors of the second world war/holocaust who now live in various countries across the world. The exhibition displays a large photo of the face of each survivor and a short story on what happened to them and their families. It is seriously confronting but incredibly important for their stories to not be forgotten.



Finally we got to our hotel in Wiesbaden which turned out to be very close to the old town. Had a  perfect end to another perfect day by catching up with an old family friend (now living in Frankfurt)  Hedrick, (son of our friends Hartwig (from Ljubljana) and Ingrid). Hendrick was 5 or 6 years old when we first met him; it always good to see him.









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